Tortall Meets Emelan
by Meitian and Alessandra
Summary: Co-Written by Meitian and SilverWindDanceFaiirie: Tortall and Emelan are about to open diplomatic talks. Will things go horribly wrong? Can anything go right?
1. Worries

***ahem***

And so begins:

" Winding Circle vs. Tortall": a crossover of Tamora Pierce's works.

Co-written by Meitian and Silver Wind Dance Faiirie

**Chapter One: Worries**

Jonathan of Conté tapped his fingers on his expensive desk, wondering if he was doing things the right way. Opening negotiations with another country was always a difficult process. It didn't help that only a precious few Tortallans had ever traveled there.

He hoped fervently that he had made the right choice in making Bethany Grey head of the diplomatic party. The nobles had given him a lot of flak for choosing a commoner. Jon might have chosen someone else, but as she was one of the few people who had actually been to the country of Emelan, she was the best he could do. And he had tried, after all. He couldn't give her a fief, as she was a woman without any family. And she refused all offers to be adopted into a fiefdom.

The rest of the contingent he could deal with. Alanna of Olau and Pirate's Swoop was, at the very least, predictable. Keladry of Mindelan would keep her head in any situation, and could probably keep the heads of the rest of the party, as well. And he certainly wouldn't have to worry about Daine. Numair he only had to worry about if someone kidnapped Daine.

Okay, maybe he did have to worry.

* * *

Bethany Grey was a little apprehensive at being in Tortall again, even if it was just for a little while before she went back to Emelan. Tortall held bad memories for her. The only place she didn't feel paranoid was... well, there wasn't anywhere she didn't feel paranoid.

And there was that rather unfortunate incident some years ago that had earned her the permanent dislike of a certain deity. She hadn't told King Jonathan about it - well, she hadn't told anyone about it. You didn't just tell people that there's a deity that has a problem with you. They tend to run away from you if you tell them that. Even if it wasn't your fault at all and it was years and years ago.

Why did she have to be watching over her shoulder all the time? That incident was old history, and she had done what she wanted, anyway, in the end. Of course, deities are for the most part eternal... but at the time, Bethany was only thirteen and scared out of her wits, and had just found out her entire family was dead. Most people wouldn't have blamed her. Goddesses tend to be more used to getting their way, though... and have as much time as they want to hold a grudge.

Perhaps if Bethany was in Emelan for a while, she wouldn't notice. It was awful far away from Tortall, after all. But there was the matter of the King's Champion with her...

Bethany collapsed on her bed. Why couldn't things be simple again?

* * *

Numair Salmarín was apprehensive, too, but for a different reason. Really apprehensive. He knew that this mission would be for the good of the kingdom, but that wasn't stopping him from being apprehensive. After all, it wasn't the mission that was making him nervous.

It was the fact that he would be accompanied by Veralidaine Sarrasri, better known as Daine, his friend, fellow mage, and lover. It wasn't that she was younger, or female - it was the fact that she was Daine.

On the last diplomatic sojourn they had both been on together, she had been kidnapped. There were rather sour memories attached to that time for him, and he didn't want to repeat the ordeal they had gone through there.

But one way or another, he would have to control his nervousness. His magic started to leak out and make things happen when he was nervous, and that was never good. The last time he had been nervous, he had accidentally burned his own eyebrows off. Now that was something he certainly didn't want to repeat...

* * *

Keladry of Mindelan had finished packing and was now looking out of the window of her old room at Fief Mindelan. She looked out over the forests and the fields and the town and wondered where her life had gone in the past few years.

It had just been her birthday, and now she was over twenty. Twenty-one! That was an awful long time. And there still remained the question of what she was going to do with herself. She would be a knight; but what else would she be?

She sighed, and ruffled her finger through the pages of the book she held in her hand. The title was "The Etiquette and Traditions of Emelan." Her father had given it to her for her birthday, after he had found out that she was part of the diplomatic envoy to Emelan, over by the Pebbled Sea.

I guess I'll wait until after this whole thing is over until I think more about my future. It's giving me a headache, thought Kel, to herself, and didn't think about it anymore.

* * *

Alanna of Olau and Pirate's Swoop was irked at having to leave again. She had just been off to war for the past Goddess-knows-how-many months with the whole Scanran ordeal, and now that prat Jon had assigned her to be part of a diplomatic conference with some country she had never even heard of.

She had wanted to spend some quality time with Aly, too, after her sojourn to the Copper Isles. Alanna and her daughter had never been the best of friends, though they loved each other, and Alanna hoped they could get to know each other better.

The diplomatic mission had messed up all her plans for her family. Alanna understood how important alliances were, especially since there had been quite a lot of turmoil in her own lifetime (and most of it involving herself).

Sometimes, though, Alanna wished someone else could do things, for once.

* * *

Veralidaine Sarrasri was packing again. She didn't mind going places a lot, which was good, because she did. Her younger years had been full of packing and moving, though those places she never went back to. Only now she had other things to worry about.

Like a baby.

Now that she was a mother... things were trickier. Daine knew that she was a person of interest among many people and was prone to kidnappings. Her daughter might be an even hotter commodity, and she didn't exactly want to bring her to a foreign country. All right, she didn't want to bring her to a foreign country. But she very well couldn't just leave her daughter in Tortall.

Why did everything have to become so complicated all of a sudden?

* * *

**

THE AUTHOR'S NOTES 

**

Hi! Are you interested so far? This story is extremely strange, no doubt. The authors are Meitian and Silver Wind Dance Faiirie!

This chapter was written by Meitian (), who will be writing all/most of the Tortall chapters. Silver Wind Dance Faiirie (henceforth referred to as SWDF) knows the Winding Circle characters better because she's read all the books. Heh. *has only read first two - eep* Anyway, I don't usually write so angsty, so don't expect more of this. It's sort of how I get into writing the characters. And start pitying Bethany now, it's best to get ahead. And no, she's not self-insertion. I'm not blonde, and she is, and I wouldn't ever want to be blonde.. And if I was, or I did, it would be more like self-infliction. Yeah.

I appreciate concrit and people who want to tell me I'm uber-cool. I don't like flames or random people saying "u sux0rz" in my reviews. Those reviews will be deleted. *waves* until next time! ~Meitian 


	2. Arrival

Winding Circle vs. Tortall  
  
It was early morning, and the sun was still asleep. A girl slipped out of a small cottage near the Earth temple. She wore a loose, knee-length skirt of a pale blue, and a cream colored blouse. Her sun-streaked hair was in two braids, keeping it off her face. She walked down the gravel path, heading for the wall that surrounded her home. Winding Circle was quiet; a few people heading home from late-night jobs in the Hub were the only ones who passed the girl. The stars were just fading when Lady Sandriline reached the top of the wall. She found a comfortable stone notch to sit in, and gazed out across the harbor. She was waiting. Today, finally, her foster sister Daja was supposed to be returning. Sandry wondered if she would be bringing Nia and Jory, her students.  
  
The four young mages who lived at Discipline had been apart for too long. Their mind links couldn't reach each other, and they had been alone with their teachers for nearly two years. Sandry and Tris were the two of the four that had returned to Winding Circle, both bringing students, Tris bringing Keth, and Sandry bringing Pasco. Daja would be returning this morning.  
  
Movement in the harbor caused Sandry to jump to her feet. Scanning the boats, she saw what she was looking for. The gleam of the brass cap of her Trader's staff gave Daja's location away. Sandry raced along the wall, down the stairs and across the road to harbor. Weaving through the crowds packing the docks, she found her way to her foster sister's side easily. Daja was talking to someone, someone who wasn't Frostpine. Peering around her foster sister, Sandry saw two girls, twins from the looks of them.  
  
"They must be Daja's students," Sandry thought.  
  
Daja looked up, sensing her sister's magic. She smiled when she saw Sandry.  
  
"I'm home," she said cheerfully stating the obvious.  
  
"We noticed," drawled a voice.  
  
Sandry, Daja, Frostpine and Daja's students turned.  
  
"BRIAR!" the girls cried, hugging him.  
  
"No killing my student," came Rosethorn's sharp voice.  
  
One of Daja's students looked fearful. "Who is she?" she whispered to her sister.  
  
Daja overheard. "I'll introduce everyone when we get to the cottage," she promised, smiling at the girl. "Come on."  
  
Sandry led the way up the path, through the gate, skipping.  
  
"Where's Coppercurls?" Briar asked as they walked the spiral road.  
  
"At the cottage, with Lark and Keth," Sandry told him.  
  
"Keth?" Frostpine questioned.  
  
"Her student," Sandry told him.  
  
"What kind of magic does he work with?" Rosethorn asked.  
  
"He's a glass mage," Sandry told her, opening the gate to the cottage.  
  
Daja's students, and the girl Sandry assumed was Briar's student looked around in awe.  
  
"Come in sillies," called Tris's voice. "I'll make it rain on you if you don't."  
  
"Would she really?" asked Daja's student.  
  
"Could she is a better question," the other twin replied.  
  
"She could, but I doubt she will," Briar told them, opening the door.  
  
"BRIAR! DAJA!" yelled a red-haired girl, hugging both of them.  
  
"Everyone come into the sitting room, and we'll get food and introduce everyone," called Lark.  
  
Soon enough, everyone was seated around the sitting room, perched on window ledges, in chairs, on the floor. Little Bear was curled up by Tris, asleep.  
  
Lark smiled. "Ok, I'll start, for those of you who don't know me, I am Dedicate Lark, one of the people in charge of Discipline. I'm an Earth Dedicate." She turned to Rosethorn.  
  
Rosethorn sighed. "I'm Dedicate Rosethorn," she told them. "I'm the other person in charge of the cottage. Take it from Briar, or Evvy, stay out of my workroom without permission."  
  
Frostpine spoke up. "I'm Dedicate Frostpine of the Fire temple, Daja's teacher, and a smith mage."  
  
"as Niko's not here," Tris began, "I'll introduce myself, and my student. My name is Trisana, and I will get anyone who calls me that. Call me Tris, and only Briar here can call me Coppercurls. I'm a weather mage."  
  
Daja spoke. "My name is Daja. I'm Frostpine's student, and a smith mage." She looked at her foster-sister Sandry.  
  
Sandry smiled. "I'm Sandry. My magic is with thread, and I'm Lark's student."  
  
Briar sighed. "I'm Briar. I'm Rosethorn's student, and a plant mage." He turned to the girl between himself and Rosethorn. "Your turn," he said.  
  
The girl looked half shy, half terrified.  
  
"Go on," Daja urged. "Everyone will have to do it."  
  
The girl looked down. "My – my name is Evvy," she said softly. "I'm a stone mage, and Rosethorn's student."  
  
Rosethorn looked at her. "No, Evvy, you're not my student."  
  
Evvy gazed at her. "But – but if I'm not your student, whose am I?"  
  
Lark answered. "Look at it this way," she said kindly. "Who found you? Who saw your magic?"  
  
Evvy looked at Lark. "Briar found me, and told me about it," she admitted.  
  
"There you go," Lark said. "You just said your real teacher. Rosie's like a second teacher, but your real teacher is Briar."  
  
Evvy nodded. "Alright, I'm Briar's student."  
  
Keth spoke up. "I'm Keth. I'm Tris's student, and a glass mage, with some lightning mixed in."  
  
One of the girls who was Daja's student looked up. "I'm Nia," she said softly. "I'm Daja's student, and a carpentry mage."  
  
"I'm Nia's twin sister Jroy," the other of Daja's students said. "I'm a cook mage."  
  
Lark looked around. "Everyone know's everyone right?" she asked.  
  
Everyone nodded. Lark smiled. "ok, we have ambassadors from Tortall coming to Winding Circle. We'll need to be on our best behavior, and be polite to them. I don't know exactly who all is coming, nor what the entire cause for their coming is. Now I'd advise getting some sleep before to the morrow is upon us."  
  
Everyone departed, heading to rooms they had been given.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	3. Travels

ï»¿ 

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Author's Notes

Hey everyone! It's Meitian again, with another chapter of our beloved Tortallan heroes and heroines. Thanks to the people who reviewed and those who have us on author alert and favorites. I hope you're enjoying the story so far! We love you! We love you!

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**Tortall Meets Emelan**

By Meitian and SilverWindDanceFaiirie

Chapter Three: Travels

The diplomatic party left early in the morning from Pirate's Swoop by boat. The Lioness could be seen at all hours lurking by the railing, looking kind of green. In addition to being renowned as one of the best in the arts of fighting, healing and tongue-lashing, she was also reputed for getting incredibly seasick. Keladry of Mindelan was spending her time below the deck, reading a book about the etiquette and traditions of Emelan. Numair and Daine were sitting on the deck, meditating.

Bethany wasn't quite sure what she should be doing. She wasn't interested in books or boats, and had no magical Gift. So she stood by the railing, looking out at the ocean, trying to avoid everyone else. She failed. Eventually the Lioness sidled over to her lonely portion of the deck.

"It's very blue out there," remarked Bethany, stupidly.

"Yes," muttered the Lioness, who was looking very green by now. She sighed. "Do you want to be here?"

"Not in the least," answered Bethany. "Of course, there's nowhere else I'd rather be, so I suppose I'm rather stuck, aren't I?"

"Mmm," said the Lioness, grimacing. "I don't like diplomacy, and I _hate_ boats. I think sometimes Jon does this just to torture me."

Bethany just nodded lamely. She'd never get used to people calling the king Jonathan. _Never_.

The Lioness continued speaking. "Personally, I have a feeling that this isn't going to go too well. Maybe it's just that I want to go home... or maybe it's because I'm going to be sick again..." She made a face.

Bethany stared glumly at the water below. How much water was there in the world? And how deep did it go? The water was deep out here, they were far from shore. She looked out into the distance. Water for as far as she could see in every direction. Except...

"I see land! I see land!"

*** 

The port was called Summersea. There were a lot of people there, as it was a major trading city, but many more people had come to see the Tortallan ambassadors arrive.

The guards got off the ship first, followed by a very plain, blonde woman, to the disappointment of the crowd. Second to disembark was a red-haired woman who was easier to identify - she could be none other than Alanna of Olau and Pirate's Swoop, known as the Lioness, the Tortallan King's Champion. The people noted that she looked greener than they had imagined.

Next: A tall black-haired man and a young woman with long, curly brown locks. These two had to be the famous mages, Numair Salmalín and Veralidaine Sarrasri. Last off of the ambassadors was a tall, quiet-looking woman in armor - the first distaff in over a century, Sir Keladry of Mindelan.

The people of Summersea whispered among themselves. Mages and people of rank were nothing new to them, but these people were practically _legends_ in their own time. Numair passed through the crowds with that vague smile on his face, but the others were less at ease with the whispering. Keladry, Bethany and Daine, the youngest of the envoy, were particularly ill at ease. Although you couldn't tell Kel was uncomfortable; her training in the Yamani Islands made her disinclined to show any strong emotions outwardly.

What surprised the people the most was how _ordinary_ most of the Tortallans looked. Out of their fancy ambassadorial livery, they could be friends, or siblings, or relatives. They had half-expected them to be gods and arrive on storm cloud.

The group found their way to the edge of the crowd. Not far away, there was a group of riders in the ducal colors of Emelan riding towards them with a string of extra horses. The head rider, who was dressed differently from the others and radiated an aura of power addressed the blonde woman, who replied and smiled, and motioned for the others in her party to get on the extra horses. And then they rode away.

*** 

And, not too far away...

"Eaaaagh! Wake up! Wake up! They're going to be here soon!"

"Nrrrgh?"

"Get up, Briar!"

"Hey!"

"Augh! Where'd my best dress go?"

"What am _I _going to wear?"

And so the day began in Discipline cottage...


	4. The Morning Of

The bell at the Hub rang early the next morning, pulling many a weary traveler form their bed before they would have liked to be up and about. The cottage was quiet, no one except Lark was awake, and certainly not out of their rooms. Lark smiled lightly, humming softly, she started the porridge. A soft noise behind her made her turn Sandry smiled.  
  
"May I help you Lark?" she asked.  
  
Lark glanced around the kitchen, and then looked back at her student. "If you're willing to cut fruit, and set the table, I'd appreciate it."  
  
Sandry nodded and began to get the dishes out. She pulled the benches from under the table, and neatly began to set the dishes.  
  
"Here," said a voice, taking the dishes from her. "I'll set the table, you go make breakfast."  
  
Sandry smiled at Daja. "Thanks," she told her sister.  
  
"So, what do you know about these people coming?" Daja asked as Lark shooed them into the sitting room. "I'm guessing you've heard about it from your uncle?"  
  
Sandry shook her head, her braids lightly slapping her cheeks. "This is the first I've heard of it."  
  
"Surprise then for all huh?" Daja asked.  
  
Sandry nodded. "I guess. I'm anxious to meet these people."  
  
"Yeah, we've never really had much to do with Tortall, I mean we know it exists, but that's about it."  
  
"I've heard stories, but I don't know how much truth they hold. Maybe Tris would know more," Sandry offered. "I'll bet she's read a thing or two on this place."  
  
The chatter of girls came to the older mage's ears, and both smiled. "They seem to be getting along all right," Daja said.  
  
"Yes they do," Sandry agreed. "Lark? Is breakfast ready?" she called.  
  
"Anyone want to come eat?" Lark called.  
  
Daja and Sandry were first to the table, the others joining them quickly.  
  
"How'd you two get here so fast?" Briar demanded.  
  
"We, unlike some of you, actually got up and out of bad at a reasonable time" Daja scolded her brother.  
  
"Ha, well, some of us have spent days and nights for the last year chasing down a certain student of mine who would not listen to me and Rosethorn saying she had magic and had to be taught," he retorted.  
  
A knock at the door ended the conversation at the table. Lark rose swiftly, and opened the door. "Dedicate Moonstream," the others heard her exclaim. "Please, come in, we are eating, if you'd like anything."  
  
Moonstream smiled. "No need for me to go eating anything, you'll all need the energy for the party tonight. You're all invited; it's to welcome the delegation from Tortall. It's all night, for the most part, and you can come and go when you will. No showing off, obviously, and have some respect. Very few Tortallans have ever been here."  
  
"Of course, they'll all be on their best behavior, "Rosethorn promised, with a glance at the children.  
  
"We can do nothing more than try," Sandry joked.  
  
Even Rosethorn smiled. "She's got a point, seeing as how Briar is here, and probably already creating schemes."  
  
Briar rose, "I'm going to go continue my planning, that you have now discovered," he said, pretending to be mortified that anyone had discovered what he had supposedly doing.  
  
Lark laughed. "well, seeing as how breakfast in over, and I believe that this group of mages has some cleaning of house and home to do, before anyone is here."  
  
"well, best hurry up, they've arrived, and are waiting for the Duke to finish welcoming them," Moonstream said.  
  
Instantly the mages flew into action. Tris and Nia took over the kitchen, sending Lark out to give Rosethorn a hand.  
  
"SANDRY!!" yelled Evvy from upstairs.  
  
"BRIAR! GIVE ME THAT BACK," came Daja's voice and the sound of running feet.  
  
"Nia," Jory gasped as she flew into the kitchen. "Tris, you both need to get dressed, we're due at the gate in ten minutes."  
  
Tris and Nia looked at each other, then back to Jory. "We're gone," they coursed, racing to their rooms. 


End file.
